The Cloister and the Hearth: A Tale of the Middle Ages by Charles Reade

  CHAPTER XXXV

  GERARD awoke, and found Denys watching him with some anxiety.

  "It is you for sleeping! Why, 'tis high noon."

  "It was a blessed sleep," said Gerard, "methinks Heaven sent it me. Ithath put as it were a veil between me and that awful night. To thinkthat you and I sit here alive and well. How terrible a dream I seem tohave had!"

  "Ay, lad, that is the wise way to look at these things, when once theyare past, why they are dreams, shadows. Break thy fast, and then thouwilt think no more on't. Moreover I promised to bring thee on to thetown by noon, and take thee to his worship."

  "What for?"

  "He would put questions to thee; by the same when he was for waking theeto that end, but I withstood him earnestly, and vowed to bring thee tohim in the morning."

  "Thou shalt not break troth for me."

  Gerard then sopped some rye bread in red wine and ate it to break hisfast: then went with Denys over the scene of combat, and came backshuddering, and finally took the road with his friend, and kept peeringthrough the hedges and expecting sudden attacks unreasonably, till theyreached the little town. Denys took him to "The White Hart."

  "No fear of cut-throats here," said he. "I know the landlord this many ayear. He is a burgess, and looks to be bailiff. 'Tis here I was makingfor yestreen. But we lost time, and night overtook us--and--"

  "And you saw a woman at the door, and would be wiser than la Jeanneton;she told us they were nought."

  "Why, what saved our lives if not a woman? Ay, and risked her own to doit."

  "That is true, Denys, and though women are nothing to me, I long tothank this poor girl, and reward her, ay though I share every doit in mypurse with her. Do not you?"

  "Parbleu."

  "Where shall we find her?"

  "Mayhap the alderman will tell us. We must go to him first."

  The alderman received them with the most singular and inexplicableexpression of countenance. However, after a moment's reflection, he worea grim smile, and finally proceeded to put interrogatories to Gerard,and took down the answers. This done he told them that they must stay inthe town until the thieves were tried, and be at hand to give evidence,on peril of fine and imprisonment. They looked very blank at this.

  "However," said he, "'twill not be long, the culprits having been takenred handed." He added, "and you know in any case you could not leave theplace this week."

  Denys stared at this remark, and Gerard smiled at what he thought thesimplicity of the old gentleman in dreaming that a provincial town ofBurgundy had attraction to detain him from Rome and Margaret.

  He now went to that which was nearest both their hearts. "Your worship,"said he, "we cannot find our benefactress in the town."

  "Nay, but who is your benefactress?"

  "Who? why the good girl that came to you by night and saved our lives atperil of her own. Oh sir, our hearts burn within us to thank and blessher: where is she?"

  "Oh, _she_ is in prison."